Guy Kawasaki. The art of asking simple questions

I bring to your attention the translation of the next article by the great evangelist Guy Kawasaki: "The Art of Simple Questions:"

There is a myth that successful companies begin with ambitious ambitions. The implication is that entrepreneurs must start with ambitious goals in order to succeed. Although from my observations it is possible to draw the exact opposite conclusion, all great companies began with simple things that answer simple questions.

Therefore what?

This question arises when you notice or predict a trend and ask a question of its consequences.

This is how it works: “Everyone will have a smartphone with a camera and Internet access.” So what? “Everyone will be able to take pictures and share them.” So what? “We have to create an application that allows people to upload their photos to the network, rate and comment on photos of others.” And, voila, here’s an Instagram.

Isn't that interesting?

The power of this method is in intellectual curiosity and accidental discovery. Ray Kroc was a simple seller of machine mixers for mixing milkshakes, who noticed that a small restaurant did not understand where, ordered eight such mixers. Out of curiosity, he visited the restaurant, which with its success made a huge impression on him. Kroc was convinced that he would be able to sell a lot of mixers to every similar restaurant that would be open, so he became a partner of the McDonald brothers, and the rest is history.
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Is there a better way?

Dissatisfaction with the current state is the hallmark of this path. Ferdinand Porsche once said: “At the very beginning I looked around and, not finding the car of my dreams, I decided to build it myself.”

Steve Wozniak developed the Apple I, only because he believed that it would be a better way to gain access to computers than working for the government, at a university or a large company.

Why don't our company do this?

Dissatisfaction with the current employer is a catalytic force. You are familiar with customers in the market and their needs. You convince your management of the need to create a product that customers need, but your efforts go unnoticed. In the end, you give up and make the product yourself.

If this is possible, so why don't we do this?

Large innovation markets are rarely recognized in advance, so this path is characterized by the attitude - “What the hell? Why not. ”Back in the seventies, Motorola developed a portable phone, which was considered a worthless toy. At that time, telephones were connected with places, not people. However, Martin Cooper and the rest of Motorola’s engineers didn’t stop, but by asking themselves a similar question, they still created a prototype.

What is the weakness of the market leaders?

Three conditions make market leaders vulnerable:

1. The leader seeks to do business.
   IBM has stalled in its development by distributing computers through intermediaries, while Dell has taken the innovative path of direct sales.
2. Leader's customers are unhappy.
   The need to travel to Blockbuster points in order to take or return a video opened the door for Netflix.
3. The market leader stops developing by exploiting the “cash cow”.
   Stagnation of Microsoft Office led to the creation and prosperity of Google Docs.

Based on the above, the question: “How can we make a lot of money?” Is not one of those questions. The genesis of great companies does not imply the desire to become rich, but involves answers to the simplest questions that can change the world.